Feeler-motion for looms.



P. BOISVERT.

FEELER MOT10N FOR LOOMS, APPLICATION FILED MAR.H,1916.

'WV WJ Z 2 Army;

Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

rfrrrnirrn noisvnnr,

or nownnn, ninssnenosinrrs, nssrenon, as" MESN'E ASSIGN- MENTS, TO DEAIE'ER GGRJPORATIDN, 0F EOPEDALE, MihS-SAGHUSETTS, ll. CORPORATION Specification of Letters Patent.

Enema-Morton ron Looms.

Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

Application filed "March 11, 1916. Serial No. 83,645.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, Pn'mirrn .Borsvnar, a subject of King George V of Great Britain, and residing at Lowell, county of Middlesex, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Feeler-Motions for Looms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

The invention to be hereinafter described relates to means for-detecting and indicating the substantial exhaustion of the filling in the shuttle of a loom to thereupon initiate filling replenishment while the loom continues to run.

Feeler mechanisms of this general type are necessarily delicate and sensitive in operation in order to prevent unnecessary actuation of the replenishing mechanism when a working supply of filling is present, and

on the other hand, to efiect' such operation when the filling has become substantially exhausted. 'An important feature of the present invention, therefore, is to materially increase the accuracy and delicacy of operation of feeler mechanisms of that type which intermittently impinge upon means within the shuttle and perform their operation through the medium of such impinging contact.

In carrying this feature of the invention into practical effect, the present invention contemplates two feels-r members, one a relatively fixed and one a relatively movable feeler member, which, when a working supply of filling is present on, a detecting beat, enter the shuttle and feel for the filling therein and upon contact therewith by the movable ifceler member, both rneinhers are moved frontward While still maintaining their relation unchanged; when, however, the filling has become substantially exhausted, the, movable feeler member first contacting with the now substantially depleted hobbin, or the few turns of filling thereon, is moved relatively to the fixed feeler member by the ii'ontwarrl push thereon, and there upon both feeler members engage the bobbin and are moved frcntward their changed. relation to effect filling replenishmerit, as will it snore fully hereinaiter do SOI'liJGCl.

The above and other features of the pres"-v ent invention will be hereinafter more fully described in connection with the accompanying drawings which tical form or embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings Figure 1 illustrates a top plan view of a portion of a loom with the present invention applied thereto, the running shuttle bemg positioned for cooperation between the ill ing therein and the feeler device on the forward beat of the lay;

Fig. 2 illustrates a top plan View of the device, showing the on the beatup movement of the lay when a working supply of filling is present;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of Fig. 2, showing the relation of parts when, on the detecting beat of he lay, the filling has reached a degree of suh'stantial exhaustion; and

Fig. 6': is a sec ion ion the line 4- of Fig.3. 1

The loom fraino' inay be or any appro priate character to support the usual operating parts of a loom, and as shown by Fig. 1, only sulficient portion 1 thereof is indicated to make clear the present inven tion with other features oi the loom. Rotatably mounted on the loom frame is the usual change or the usual upright 4, Fig. 1, to which is connected the arm 3 in order to impart a rock ing movement to the change or transverse shaft and ciiect filling replenishment under conditions. to he more fully described.

' The position of the end portion of arm 3 with respect to its operating member 5 is controlled by a transmitter 6 pivoted at 7 to a suitable support substantially as indi catecl and fully explained in i S. Wood and J. Northrop, No. 789,471,

dated May 9,

The transmitter 6 has associated. there with, a controller 8, the end 9 of which is ex tended i'nto v actuator 1.0,- sitioned due to call for filling replenishthe path of movement of an when said actuator has been poment. in the present instance of the inven tion the controller 8 and actuator 10 may he substantial the seine as the similar parts the patent Nntioned, the construction be- .ng such that upon frontward movemeni of the ctuator-lll when it has been positioned ator will engage the controller 8 show one good prac-' transverse shaft 2, having the patent to relative position of parts call for filling replenishment, said actu-v and by frontward movement thereof, eii'eot movement of the transmitter to position the arm 3 for operation by its operating member 5, and thereby effect or initiate filling replenishment.

Adjustably mounted on the shipper stand or other bracket 11 connected to the loom frame is the feeler stand 12 provided with a slot 13 by which it may be adjustably sespring-pressed plunger 18, Fig. 2, substan-- tially as in the Wood & Northrop patent hereinbefore noted. The actuator 10 is provided with a part preferably ad ustable as the screw member 19, which, when the filling has become substantially exhausted, is adapted to engage the front wall 20 of the shuttle on a detecting beat and thereby depress the end 17 of the actuator into operative relation with the controller 8, and upon frontward movement of the feeler slide to move the controller 8 and through the transmitter initiate filling replenishment.

The parts so far described may be all of the general character of the similar parts disclosed in \Vood & Northrop patent, or otherwise, as desired. v

The feeler member 15 has at its rear portion, a web 21 which, for identification, will hereinafter be termed the feeler guide, because of the fact that it guides the movement of the movable feeler member -as will presently be explained. Secured to the feeler guide 21 in fixed position, is the feeler member 22 which, for identification, will be known the fixed feeler member. The

feeler member 22 has a filling-engaging end portion 23 which extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shuttle or filling carrier therein, substantially as in dicated in Fig. 2.

Pivotally mounted at 2 1 on the feeler guide, is the movable feeler member 25, having the engaging portion 26 which, when the movable feeler member is in normal or feeling position, is inclined to the longitudinal axis of the shuttle or filling carrier therein, The engaging end 26 of the movable feeler member is provided with a series of teeth or aroughened portion 27 which extends,

rearward of the longitudinal engaging edge 23 of the fixed feeler member, the construction being such that upon a detecting beatup movement of the lay when aworking supply of filling is present, the teeth or roughened portion 27 of the movable feeler member 25 Will engage and sink into the filling mass and be by such filling held from movement relative to the fixed feeler member 23 and upon further frontward movement of the lay, the feeler, together with the feeler member 22 will be moved by the frontward push of the filling mass against the movable feeler member 25.

Under the conditions just described, it will be noted that the feeler member 25 cont-acts with the filling mass on the detecting beat and that the engaging end of the feeler member 22 is some distance frontward of the filling mass in the shuttle. \Vhen the parts are in this relation, the portion 19 of the actuator is prevented from contacting with the shuttle wall 20 on the detecting beat, and thiscondition will be continued until the workin supply of filling has become practically exhausted. WVhen the filling has reached the desired degree of exhaustion to call for replenishment, the toothed edge portion 27 of the movable feeler member will no longer be held from movement longitudinally of the shuttle by the filling mass therein, but will be permitted to be moved in said direction by the frontward push of the filling carrier or bobbin, substantially as indicated in Fig. 3, whereupon the part 19 of the actuator 10 will engage the front wall 20 of the shuttle and on the continued frontward movement of the lay, the end 17 of the actuator will be depressed and then the actuator and feeler members be moved frontward as the lay c011- tinues its beat-up movement, thereby initiating filling replenishment as hcreinbefore described.

It will be noted that when the fixed and movable feeler members 22 and 25 respectively are in their normal or feeling positions as indicated in Fig. 2, the edge portion 23 of the fixed feeler member does not engage the filling mass because the toothed portion of the movable feeler member 25 extends rearwardly. beyond the engaging face of the member 22. When, however, the filling has become substantially exhausted, and the movable feeler member has been moved longitudinally of the shuttle by the forward push of the bobbin as described, its inclined edge portion 26 will be brought into substantial parallelism with or into alinement with the edge portion 23 of the fixed feeler member, and thereupon both feeler members will be engaged by the filling carnally of the shuttle, and means are pro vided for normally holdmg the movable =feeler member in feeling position. lln

.over outside these openings on the respective .feeler members, or secured there-- ,to in any appropriate manner, the construction being such that the spring 28 normally tends to hold the movable feeler member 25 in feeling position with its edge portion 30 in contact with the adjacent edge portion 31 of the fixed if'eeler member 22 which thereby acts as a stop to determine the po; sition of the movable feeler member 25;

In order that the pivotal movement of themovable feeler member. 25 shall be confined to a direction extending longitudinally'of the shuttle, said feeler member is provided with a slot 32, Fig. l, between its top and bottom walls, as indicated in said figure, into which extends the feeler guide 21, the construction being such that when the mov-' able feeler member 25 is moved about its pivotal mounting 24:, the feeler guide 21 acting in the slot '32, will confine movement of the movable member 25 to a plane extending longitudinally of the shuttle axis. From the construction hereinbefore de scribed as a good practical form of the present invention, it will be noted. that when the filling has become substantially exhausted and the movable feeler member has been moved in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle to permit the actuator to engage the shuttle body and become operatively .pos1

' tioned thereby with respect to the controller,

the fixed :teeler member 22 engages the bob- "till bin or the small amount of filling still remaining thereon and by frontward movement oi? the lay, effects front-ward movement of the feeler slide, thereby taking the strain of such movement from the actuator and the i i lovable member of'the feeler;

It has not been herein regarded as necessary to describe the lay 33, the shuttle-box film the shuttle 35, nor to show the opening in the front wall of the shuttle-box 34: in the 2 "What is claimed is:

st le for controlling the engagement or I actuator with the said part and held from shuttle 35, because these parts are well known and may be of usual construction,

1. In a ieeler motion for looms, the com bination of a feeler slide, an actuator for effecting filling replenishment and adapted 'to engage a part carried on the lay, feeler .rmember movable longitudinally or the shutend movement bythe massiogl fiiiling when a 2. In a feeler motion for looms, the combination of a feeler slide, a controller, an actuator normally held in inoperative relation to the controller and movable at times to operative position by engagement with the shuttle or shuttle-box, a feeler member having an ofi'set pivotal connection with the feeler slide, means for holding the feeler member normally in feeling position, said feeler member having a toothed portion for engagement with the filling in the shuttle to be held from movement longitudinally of the shuttle when a working supply of filling is present to prevent o eration of the actuator by the shuttle an movable longitudinally of the shuttle when the supply of filling becomes substantially exhausted to perrnit the shuttle to operate the actuator.

3. In a feeler motion for looms, the combination oi a feeler slide, an actuator for efi'ecting operations in the loom mechanism through engagement with a part carried by the lay on a detecting beat, a feeler member for controlling the engagement of the actuator with the said part, the said feeler memher being held from movement longitudinally of the shuttle by the filling when a working supply is present and being movable longitudinally of the shuttle by the forward push of the bobbin when the filling is substantially exhausted to permit engagement of the said part with the actuator, yielding means to hold said feeler member from said longitudinal movement and in feeling position when the feeler member is not engaged with the filling in the shuttle, a relatively fixed feeler member having a portion to act as a stopto the movement of the movable feeler member under'the impuiseof said yielding means.

il, in a Ieeler motion for looms, the combination .of a feeler slide, an actuator mounted on the slide and movable to operative position to efiect fillingreplenishment by engagement with the shuttle, a feeler member having the contacts with the filling an angle with the longitudinal of the shuttle and held from movement longitudinally of the shuttle by the mass of filling when a working supply is present, the said member being .L do

plane of its face which movable longitudinally-of the shuttle by the lei-ward push oi the bobbin when the filling is substantiallv exhausted and assuming a position to bring the plane of its contactin face substantially parallel with the axis of the shuttle to ermit the shuttle to move the actuator intg r-perative position. and a foobar guide connected to the feeler slide and engagin the said movable feeler 1'ne1nber.

5. In H ler motion for looms, the combination of a feeler slide, an actuator mounted on said slide to efiect operation in the lcimn mechanism through engagement with the shuttle, a fixed 't'eeler part carried by the t'eeler slide, an adjacent feeler part pivotally mounted on the slide and projecting beyond the end of the fixed part to engage and be held from movement longitudinally of the shuttle by the filling until substantial exhaustion thereof and to then be moved in said direction by the trontward push of the bobbin as the lay heats up to permit the fixed part to enter further into the shuttle and the actuator to en age and be operated by the shuttle, said pivotally mounted'feeler part having a slot, and a feeler guide enga ing said slot to guide the pivotal movement of said feeler part.

(i. In a feeler motion for looms. the combination o1 a feeler slide. an actuator car ried by the slide and adapted to be positioned by the forward push of the shuttle to effect filling replenishment, afixed 'l'eeler member and a pivotal feeler member carried by the 'teeler slide. a spring extending between said two ieeler members and normally acting to hold the pivoted teeler member in feeling position for engagement with the filling or bobbin before the actuator can e11- gage the shuttle and permitting the teeler member to be moved on its pivot in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle by the 'lrontward push of the bobbin when the filling is substantially exhausted to enable the actuator to engage the shuttle body and initiate filling replenishment. and a stop carried by the fixed teeler member for limiting the movement of the pivoted feeler member.

7. In a ieeler motion for looms, the combination of a teeler slide having a fixed teeler member. a 'pivoted teeler member having its filling engaging end extending beyond the end of the fixed member in 'teeling position. a spring extending between said two members and normally acting to hold the pivoted 'leeler member in feeling position that its end may be engaged and held from movement hmgitudinally oi the shuttle until the lilling reaches substantial exhaustion. and an actuator adapted to be engaged by the. shuttle to ell'ect filling replenishment when the filling/is substantially exhausted and the pivoted t'eeler member is turned upon its 'pivot in a direction longitudinally oi the shuttle by the trontward push oi the bobbin to bring its engaging end into alinement with the fixed teeler member.

8. In a 't'eeler motion for looms, the combination of a feeler slide, an actuator carried by the slide and adapted to be moved by engagement with the shuttle on a detecting beat, two feeler members mounted on the feeler slide, one a relatively fixed 'feeler member having an engaging end substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the filling and hold the movable feeler member.

from. movement relative to the fixed memberwvhen a working supply of filling is present and efiecting relative movementof said movable member to bring the engaging end thereof into substantial parallelism With the edge of the relatively fixed member when the filling is substantially exhausted, and permit operation of the actuator by ongagement. with the shuttle.

9. In a feeler motion for looms, the combination of a fixed feeler member, a second feeler member having an inclined end portion movable relatively to the fixed feeler member in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle and held from such longitudinal movement by the mass of filling in the shuttle when a working supply is present and movable longitudinally of the shuttle by the frontward push of the bobbin when the filling is substantially exhausted, and means for initiating filling replenishment when on a detecting beat the second member is moved longitudinally of the shuttle.

10. In a. feeler motion for looms, the combination of a relatively fixed feeler member, a relatively movable feeler member provided with a filling engaging portion projecting beyond the fixed feeler member. a spring connecting the 'lfeeler members, said movable teeler member being movable in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle by the front ward push thereon and held from such movementby the filling until it is substantially exhausted, and means for initiating filling replenishment.

11. In a feel er motion for looms, the combination of a rtiatively fixed feeler menr her and a relatively movable feeler member having a filling engaging portion projecting beyond the end of the relatively fixed .ieeler member, a spring normally acting to maintain the feeler members in their normal relation and permitting the relatively movab e teeter member to be moved longitudinally of the shuttle when the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat, and means moved by contact with a part on the lay to initiate replenishment of filling when the. movable feeler member is moved longitudinally of the shuttle. on a detecting beat.

1:2. In a feeler motion for looms, the combination of a relatively fixed feeler member, a relatively movable feeler member provided with a toothed portion extending rearwardly beyond the end of the relatively fixed feeler member and held from movement longitudinally of the shuttle by engagement with the filling until substantial exhaustion thereof and then displaced longitudinally of the shuttle by the frontward pressure upon it to permit the relatively fixed feeler member to enter farther into the shuttle, and means for initiating filling replenishment when on a detecting beat the relatively movable toothed feeler member is moved longitudinally and permits the farther entrance of the relatively fixed feeler member into the shuttle.

13. A feeler motion for looms, comprising, in combination, two feeler members to enter the shuttle one of which is movable in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle relatively to the other by the frontward pressure of the filling carrier when on a detecting beat the filling in the shuttle has become substantially exhausted, means for normally maintaining both of said feeler members yieldingly in rearward position, and means actuated by a part carried by the lay When said movable-member is moved longitudinally by the frontward pressure owing to the substantial exhaustion of filling to initiate filling replenishment.

141. In a feeler motion for looms, the combination of a relatively fixed feeler member, an actuator having a predetermined relation to the fixed feeler member and adapted to be operatively positioned by a part carried by the lay when the fixed feeler member enters the shuttle an abnormal amount, a relatively movable ,feeler member having a toothed portion extending rearwardly beyond the end of the relatively fixed :t'eeler member and held from movement longitudinally of the shuttle by engagement with the filling until substantial exhaustion thereof and then displaced longitudinally of the shuttle by the frontward pressure to permit the relatively fixed feeler member to enter the shuttle an abnormal amount to effect 0perative positioning of the actuator,

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specificatior i 15 PHILIPPE BOISVERT.

mark VVltIlGSS THOMAS FERGUSON. 

